The “Really Really Like” Button

I am not one of those Facebook users that Likes every page they come across. I really really need to Like it. I thought I would share two Really Really Like Fan pages of organizations doing a great job of engaging their customers with their product, and consequently in their brand. OK, maybe that isn’t true. Lets just say they are doing a great job of engaging me in their brand.

Oreos.

I love Oreos. I am a fan of the Oreo Facebook page along with 8.9 million other people. The level of engagement on the Oreo fan page is impressive. The Oreo brand managers are swimming in a wealth of authentic insights from their customers unlike any kind of market research they could have previously conducted.

A recent post asks, “Sometimes it’s not who you share an Oreo with, but where. What’s your favorite place to have an Oreo?” As of this writing, 2,847 fans left comments on their favorite place. Imagine this information being used to help design sets or locations used in advertising, or messaging in the advertising that enhances the experience of that location. And for me, its standing around the kitchen island using a green juice glass from my childhood whose rim is just wide enough to fit an Oreo.

Dunking an Oreo in my favorite glass.

There are other fun and provocative threads. “If milk could talk, what would it say to an Oreo?” Over 6500 people left funny, sexual, and silly responses to that question. Then they reversed it and asked, “What would the Oreo say to the milk?” Need an off-color laugh? Its worth reading a few of these comments.

Personally, I’ve only contributed to the dialogue on Oreo dunking techniques, which I have some very strong opinions. Oreos have an entire page dedicated to “Dunk vs. Don’t Dunk”. Obviously, this is an extremely pressing issue for our society and one which I have strong feelings given that I’ve been perfecting my dunking techniques over the last fifty-two years.

Market research? The folks behind Oreos seem to be executing it quite well.

O-H-I-O.

Spelling is a big deal to people from Ohio, especially as football season approaches. Script Ohio is a tradition of The Ohio State University marching band started in 1936 that still sends chills up my spine. Another more interactive ritual is shared throughout the world. When strolling down the sidewalk sporting any garb from The Ohio State University and you spot someone oncoming also sporting Ohio State garb of any form, it is customary, actually expected, that one of you will blurt out “O-H” and the other knows to answer “I-O”. It is universal.

But recently OSU has done a great job of cultivating all this spelling into an extremely engaging “Share Your Pride” program. Over 5800 people have shared their pride thinking of clever ways to spell O-H-I-O. Its easy to post. And through Facebook, it is easy to follow a featured photo everyday, which I really look forward to seeing. Here are three of my favorites chosen especially for my Canadian friends: CN Tower, Stanley Cup, and Innocent Canadian Bystanders. Everyone of these people feels strong enough about the brand of Ohio State to plan a clever photo, submit to the university, and be thrilled seeing their work prominently displayed publicly. And the cost to implement? Nearly zero (as is evidenced by their weak user interface to navigate the photos). The value returned? Priceless.

What About You?

I’m curious. What brands do you love and have done a great job of engaging you? And wearing their t-shirt doesn’t count as that isn’t nearly engaging.

3 responses to “The “Really Really Like” Button”

Kraft – M & C. There is no other M & C. Nabisco for Oreos. I too get Oreos every time I go to the store. I am pretty brand loyal when is comes to food products; Land o Lakes, Honey Maid Graham Crackers, Goldfish, Tostitoes, Corona (love that lime) etc. Honestly, I think it is due to the product taste and everytime I try something different – yuck. How doea a brand become a name of all things? i.e. Kleenex instead of facial tissue; or Xerox for copies, etc.) Also what draws us away from some brands – Wal-Mart – wont go there due to their image for the treatment of employees.

Continually interested in Brands and what causes the consumers to stay with brands or steer away from brands.

Thanks Kristen. Those are all great brands too. The products are good, but your entire experience surrounding those products is what makes you continue to buy them. Another great brand of mine is JIF peanut butter. Go to their Facebook Fan page and it is incredibly lame. That is relevant for me in that I am a life-long JIF consumer and switched my allegiance from Creamy to Crunchy this past year. There is an entire story about why a 52 year-old guy would switch to Crunchy after eating Creamy his entire life. If JIF was asking insightful questions as on the Oreo fan page, I and others would have a convenient outlet to tell stories and the Crunchy brand manager would have valuable insights about their customers.

Here is another fascinating user experience behind a great brand name M&M’s. Again, deep insight into the overall experience of the product. Next thing you know, something like this could catch on virally. Wouldn’t it be great if the brand manager could nudge that along?